Maverick2's Blog

Self-imposed suffering (ex. Obesity) is becoming fashionable. Doesn’t have to be fashionable for you. Willful suffering or playing victim doesn’t make one morally better or prove virtue.

You don’t have to suffer over what happened yesterday. You don’t have to suffer what may or may not happen tomorrow.

Today. How are you right now and at this moment? This is your life.

Now.

What will you do with it?

Heaven or Hell

Choose wisely.

Live. Love. Trust God. It will work out.

Be holy. Live with discipline.

My ramblings and thoughts at 10:17 am est, Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Seeing they may not see. Hearing they may not hear.

This is such a beautiful morning. Only the fool can say in their heart that there is no god.

Why do I reason within myself about so much? Why do I strain at the gnat but swallow a camel.

Don’t sweat the small stuff and it’s all small stuff with the Lord.

I desire to be in the presence of the power of God’s healing power and mercy more often.

Come now Travis and let us reason together with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

I will not give you a mountain that you cannot climb.

Love your enemies and do good to them. Expect nothing in return. Judge not and you shall not be judged. Give and it will be given to you. Show mercy and mercy shall be shown to you.

A testimony Thursday, February 24, 2022.

I intended my life to be seasoned with salt. I desired to be salty but my religion was all talk.

Judgemental talk, vain talk, and rationalizing talk. I had good works for show. I wasn’t trying to be disingenuous. It’s only looking back that I see that I was disingenuous. I wanted to be a good man and to be thought of as a good man. Walking the walk that most call a Christian walk came easy. The ones I should not have patronized I did, for their approval. Those that were looked down upon, I didn’t have much to do with for fear of judgement. My salt had lost its savor and was good for nothing but to be disrespected and mocked.

Then, I went through the fire.

I became that person that was looked down upon. I looked for compassion from those that I loved the most and found little. I found compassion from those too that were outcast. The fires that I went through altered my “religion” and my view of “religion”.

I thought I would die. I did things publicly I regret. I did things in secret that haunt me. I would search for forgiveness but found none. Love would ultimately lift me. My religion and my dogma didn’t hold up to the fire. It was set ablaze by the Holy Spirit.

Eventually, love promoted me. I eventually did the necessary work to dig deep and determine what it was that I truly believe. Correction; Jesus did the work and dug deep. I simply, after hitting rock bottom, put my faith and trust in Jesus and the victorious work that He alone did.

I believe in the love and grace of Jesus Christ. I still have much unbelief or my actions would always be on point. Still, at times, my actions don’t line up with what I say I believe. Yet, my faith is in His amazing grace. My weakness is actually my Glory and what allows me to have a rich and meaningful relationship with God and with other brothers and sisters who truly seek God.

The fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith and self control.

My tree bears some fruit yet often has worms in it. Only the most elder Christian having been through the fire would be able to look beyond my shortcomings.

Yet, I feel and have faith in the fiery work of the Holy Spirit in my life. My works and words are finally getting in sync. My faith is expanding. A new religion, if one can call it religion is filling the voids….

1) It’s impossible to please God without faith in Him. I’m working on having reckless faith, radical faith in my God.
2) God is not the God of dead works but the God of a lively faith and hope.
3) Love myself.
4) Be loving awareness. Love everything and everyone that I’m aware of and with discernment not judgement.
5) Any other commandment is simplified and taken care of by #4.
6) Connect with the Holy Spirit in my own weak way daily.
7) Shhh! More often.

I hope and pray that the fire is cooling and that He will season me and let me be salty the way He would have me be salty.

I am in love with my savior. I feel God in my life. That’s enough for me.

A testimony or at the least, foolish ramblings from an old man with a child’s heart.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022.

Oh Lord, daily, restore my joy and keep me safe. Remember all those that it’s my honor and duty to pray for today.

Is my life even a vapor?

It’s not.

I lived too much of that vapor bathing in fear, worry, regret, judgement, feelings of inadequacy, and seeking pleasure in the wrong places.

If in this life I have hope only, I will be terribly miserable. I have a hope but it’s more than a hope. I’ve seen evidence that what I hope for will be realized. All of it. Thank you for the crumbs of manna my Lord, my God, that lead me home.

I’m persuaded that by faith in Christ is the only way to live. I’m persuaded to believe that no one knows the time of the end, not even the angels in heaven.

Today is the day of salvation and the only day I have. I shall live a good life today. If God tarries God’s coming today, I will see another sunset. I will have fought the good fight of faith and I will have shown myself and everyone I come in contact with the Love of God.

If God calls me home today my work will be done. My trials and tribulations over and I will rest forever in the loving arms of my Jesus.

To live is Christ and to die is gain.

The way forward for me is love, forgiveness, and mercy. I will begin with myself. I can’t show a hurting soul what I do not show myself.

The Son of Man forgave me, therefore, this son of man will forgive trespasses too.

Have a beautiful day child of the living God. Be blessed.

A testimony Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Romans chapter 4. My heart leaps within.

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Of myself my righteousness is as filthy rags.

My works, if I boast, has the potential to cause me to be or act self-righteous. The best I could do would be filthy.

Because of faith in the grace of Christ, I am righteous. My faith in Christ makes me whole from head to toe.

Then also my hands and my head too Lord! Says Peter.

Your feet will suffice, said the Lord to Peter.

I believe you Lord. I take rest in you. Your yoke is easy and your burdens light.

I will not allow anyone to put me or guilt me back under the law. Where there is no law there is no sin.

When Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed.

My hope for my own life today is to share the good news of liberty with someone hurting today.

My notes and musings from my walk on Friday, February 18, 2022. Just ramblings and a testimony about the goodness of Christ!

In a current world where most people had rather berate each other, I had rather celebrate each other. We are all made of the same stuff. We are more alike than we are different. Deeply, we really want the same things. We want to be noticed, we want connection, we want to express love and receive love. We want to be appreciated.

What good does it do to even berate a scoffer? The Bible says it’s foolish to retaliate against even the scoffer. Good vibes require surrounding one’s self with wise people.
And what is wisdom?

She’s more desired than rubies. Fear God and keep His commandments.

To love one another. To celebrate one another.

I am able to love others now because I can love myself; all of me.

A testimony Thursday, February 17, 2022

I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed and inadequate given the multitude of tasks that need be done. This legal and structural transition with Shibboleth is more challenging than I had realized but I won’t draw back. Fear is on the rise and my faith on the decline until……

I spend time with the Lord.

His rod and staff, they comfort me. It’s in this moment that I realize I’m a sheep but not one without a Shepherd. I have a good Shepherd and I know His voice. He came looking for me this morning knowing my heart struggles and had went astray.

He took his rod and pushed the wolves away from me. The wolves of fear, regret, negative thoughts and inadequacy. While pushing the wolves away with His rod, He gently pulled me near with His staff.

Death where is thy sting and grave where is your victory?

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

The lover of my soul. The protector of my heart. The caretaker of my body.

Oh how I’ve been unfaithful! Yet, Jesus is ever faithful.

He walks in front of me, beside me and behind me.

I love my life, my wife, my children and my Shibboleth members. All of which have been ever faithful to me.

May the Lord bless all of my friends and enemies this morning and ever more.

A testimony Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Become so strong that you’re soft.

There was a man who left Jerusalem and went down to Jericho and fell amongst thieves.

All my life I’ve wanted to be hard and austere. Most men I’ve admired were considered hard, respected, and men amongst men. I’m naturally soft, easily approached, and at times disrespected by many that I love and form bonds with. I’ve always had a hard time saying NO and am easily worked and taken advantage of so I decided to change.

Where once I was considered weak, I determined to change and harden my heart, even towards many I love. I did terrible harm…..mostly to myself.

Both of those phases of life have ended. I realize my life has been two extreme philosophies.

1) Too soft
2) Too hard

In attempting to rebuild my life and relationships once again, I’ve started trying to imitate my hero Jesus. I’m failing at it miserably but the small measure of faith I have allows me to believe that I’m at least moving in the right direction.

Jesus was strong, so strong He was soft. His life teaches me to stay gentle, humble, and turn the other cheek. He teaches me to forgive infinitely, including myself.

Yet, Jesus had boundaries. While never condemning, Jesus would often remove himself from the crowd while nurturing Himself in His Father. At the end of life and as strong as He was, He allowed the enemy to apprehend Him, to mock Him, and then crucify Him.

Men’s hardness killed Him and buried Him. Even at death’s door, while being able to call legions of angels to rescue and avenge Himself, Jesus said, “Father forgive them they know not what they do.”

They buried Him and tried to put an end to this “soft” man and His doctrines of forgiveness and love. It didn’t work.

After 3 days in a cold grave, He got up.

I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit has heard my prayer asking for forgiveness. I hope that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit look upon the dog that I am and forgive me because I know not what I do.

Living an authentic life, being a real person, and true to yourself and what God has called you to be is hard work. Being a hard hearted, self centered person is even harder work.

I’m not strong like Jesus and find it difficult to be both soft and strong at the same time but I’d rather be soft and laughed at than be hard and selfish.

I’ve waited on men to apologize to me for their transgressions against me, their brother. I wait for their lies, thievery, and greed to be made right with me. In many respects I blamed them for destroying my life and then using their influence to lie about it and me.
That hasn’t happened. Most of them still celebrated while I suffer in heart.

I realize that I haven’t let that go as I should. Jesus suffered for His right doing. I suffered but unlike Jesus, I deserved it. I took the wrong that was done to me and then done myself and those that love me wrong by becoming something that I am not.
I forgive. I’m letting go of it. Not only am I letting go of it, I’m starting afresh with lessons learned and determined to be soft again but a little wiser this time and stronger this time around.
Being a people pleaser has its consequences. I’m holding on to stuff with bitterness that happened 12 years ago. I’ve suffered at my own hands.

If I had it to do over, I would have not ran. I would had stood firmly in Jerusalem and never went down to Jericho.

I don’t blame anyone any longer for my weaknesses. I’ve overcompensated by hurting those I loved the most.

Publicly, I ask Jesus forgiveness. I am not ashamed.

I post this because I feel led to post it. I may have hurt someone unintentionally because I tried to be something I was not. For that, I am sorry.

I also post because I hear from many people that are hurting or have been hurt each week. I watch them hurt themselves by hardening their heart or blaming themselves. I don’t know why people intentionally hurt others, but I know it doesn’t remedy anything to hold on to hate or hurt one’s own self.

Let the past go. At least keep repeating that until you really can let the past go. Forgive. Mercy.

We don’t have to let people run over us to be a Christian. We also don’t have to run over others because someone ran over us.

It’s time for more change around the Martin tabernacle.

Thank you Lord for dealing with me on August 21, 2021 and giving me another chance. I keep blowing it, but I know you are with me and that we are on the right track.

A testimony Thursday, February 10, 2022.

A beautiful waxing crescent moon on my evening walk.

Isaiah 66:23 ~ From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord.

The Lord is my best friend. I spent years ashamed of my failings and felt lost. I wasted a lot of time bathing in guilt and regret.

Always there for me, all I had to do was come just as I was and am. It’s all anyone has to do.

My Lord is pure love. The Holy Spirit is loving awareness. The Holy Spirit loves unconditionally.

I love my life, my family, my friends and anyone I’m aware of that exists. It’s my reasonable service.

A testimony Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Good morning! Habit had me turn on the news this morning. It was all bad news. I can’t do it with that stuff anymore. It makes me nauseous. I guess the world hasn’t heard that we’ve won! There is victory in Christ and it is finished.

I get sucked into it all if not careful so I turned it off. I have enjoyed the good life since August 21, 2021. Living with my Jesus and trusting Him with my life.

I need to die daily to the love and practice of sin which in my heart is fear, judgment, guilt, regret, and shame.

For me, that is centering myself and getting mind, body, and spirit in sync. I can hear and feel my spirit now telling my mind to put off the carnal mind and to put on the mind of Christ. My spirit is also directing my body to get going, to stretch, to get moving. My spirit is lining up my body and mind. Once the weapons of my warfare are standing at attention my spirit will give the command to get in sync with the Holy Spirit.

This day will be glorious as I monitor everything that goes in my mind, comes out of my mouth, and as I take care of God's sacred temple.

Soldiering on this morning with a positive mindset and a heart full of love.

My earth is new and refreshed and I’m going to stay in this first heaven today. One day at a time.

Be blessed brothers and sisters. Don’t forget. We’ve already won. God is just cleaning up the aftermath.

https://spoti.fi/3nOjr0z

A testimony Monday, January 24, 2022